TheStar Sept 21 MALAYSIA are already one pair down following the withdrawal of the Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat partnership but national doubles coach Rexy Mainaky does not think that it will affect the chances of the remaining two combinations. He feels that Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari-Lin Woon Fui are now even more motivated to win the world title for their unlucky teammates. Chong Ming had to return home following the death of his father. And the players were in his hotel room before he left and pledged to do their best to win the title for him. “There is no need to tell experienced players like Tan Fook and Wan Wah on the need for them to put in extra effort now that one of our pairs are already out,” said Rexy Mainaky yesterday. “The remaining four doubles players are now more hungry than before to win the world title. They felt sorry for Chong Ming and also Kien Keat and are all fired up to do well.” But Rexy was left ruing that there can no longer be an all-Malaysian final. Chong Ming-Kien Keat were the lone Malaysian pair in the top half of the draw. “The chances of our remaining pairs are not affected at all. We can still hope for an all-Malaysian semis in the bottom half of the draw,” he said. National chief coach Yap Kim Hock added that the loss of one pair had not demoralised the team at all. “Our percentage of having world champions may have been reduced but we still have strong contenders left in the competition,” he said. The withdrawal of Chong Ming-Kien Keat will directly benefit Danes Jens Eriksen-Martin Lungaard Hansen and Chinese top seeds Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng.
